Mesh Plastic Sheets

To extend the height of my mold and allow it to accommodate more curds, I insert two pieces of this mesh into the mold before lining the mold and mesh with cheesecloth. Once the curds have sunk to the level of the mold (a little hand-pressing is sometimes necessary), I remove the collar and proceed as normal. This allows me to be more efficient in my cheesemaking by using more milk in a recipe (usually 8 gallons).

This plastic mesh can also be cut down to size with a kitchen scissors and then used as cheese mats or to hold pieces of floating feta under the brine.